Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang

Rooms

The 74 rooms are housed in 17 big, airy, high-ceilinged buildings dotted about in clumps in the grounds. The gardens stretch along the beach for 500 metres; they are scented by hibiscus and frangipani while palms soar serenely and stone paths weave through trim lawns from one end to the other. Some rooms are bigger than others, but all share the same colonial style.

You can choose from Garden View Rooms, Superior Sea View Rooms, Deluxe Sea View Rooms, Deluxe Beachfront Rooms and Suites. All open onto private terraces and even the smaller rooms feel like suites, so you don’t need to splash out on the most expensive. Inside you find whitewashed walls, very pretty tiled floors and mosquito nets hanging above your bed. All have the requisite accessories: TVs and DVD players hidden away in wood cabinets, robes and slippers, minibars (priced the same as the main bar), ceiling fans and air conditioning. Kingsize beds are kitted out in the best linen and bath towels are huge.

Best of all are the exceptional inside/outside bathrooms with Flintstone-coloured baths and deluge showers above. Deluxe Sea View Rooms and Suites have 2 showers (a waterfall shower outside, a more conventional one inside) and twin copper-bowl sinks. The terraces also overlook the sea, with paths leading past padded loungers in small private gardens to the beach.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Minibar/fridge

Eating

Because the resort stretches along the beach for half a kilometre, there are 2 restaurants strategically placed to stop you having to walk for miles every day. Both overlook the sea and one is next to the big infinity swimming pool too, so expect watery views at every turn.

Meals are not included in the rates but the food is good so it's definitely worth eating in. Assemble for breakfast at your leisure and dig into an endless buffet. Help yourself to freshly sliced fruit, baskets of irresistible patisserie, then spin over to the egg station and order yourself a ham omelette before gathering bacon and tomatoes or a bowl of noodles. As for the juices, a seemingly limitless supply of freshly squeezed nectar is available and there’s sparkling wine on the house, so start the day with a decadent glass of Buck’s Fizz.

During the day you can order all sorts of dishes, from light bites (spring rolls or a plate of cheese) to more substantial meals (salad Niçoise, steak sandwiches, bowls of pasta, char-grilled octopus).

Dinner offers more choice. You can either head to the beach restaurant and try the set-price BBQ buffet, which offers a big choice of salads, soups and vegetables; the meat and fish is cooked to order while you wait. Alternatively, book into the main restaurant and eat à la carte; you’ll find an Asian menu alongside a Western one and you can chop and change, so try tiger prawns, bok choy gazpacho, rack of lamb and tarte tatin. There's also rather tempting 5-course tasting menu that comes with a different glass of wine for every course. For those after something romantic, try a private BBQ on the beach, even dinner at the end of the jetty… but there's only room for one table, so you’ll have to book ahead. Dinner can also be served in your villa.

Nha Trang offers a good range of restaurants and bars that will tempt you out. Try Lac Canh for its famous grilled beef or Le Petit Bistro (yes, it’s French) for great pâté and ham and a fantastic cheese board. For the best Italian food in town try Good Morning Vietnam; it’s popular with ex-pats and locals alike.

If you want to head out for a few drinks after dinner, the best places to stop are the Sailing Club (open until 2am), which is a 10-minute walk up the beach (it also serves Indian, Italian and Vietnamese food). Closer still (a 3-minute walk into the city) you’ll find Guava Bar for great tunes and a small courtyard; it's very cool and open until midnight.

Features include:

• Children's meals
• Minibar/fridge
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• If you’re going to have a massage in Vietnam, have it here; the Six Senses Spa is divine, with gorgeous water gardens surrounding treatments rooms that overlook the beach. Afterwards, tea is served in cushioned pagodas that overhang the water. Sublime
  
• Feeling active? There’s a tennis court at the hotel, a volleyball court on the beach and a rack of bicycles that are free for guests to use
  
• The daily Nha Trang market is very popular and worth a look; it starts at 5am and the hotel offers a cyclo tour around it
  
• River kayaking and mountain bike safaris into the hills can be arranged. You can also hire motorbikes to explore
  
• Take a taxi to visit the Long Son Pagoda (monks still live here) and check out the giant White Buddha; you get good views over town, too
  
• Make it a day trip and travel on to the Ba Ho Waterfalls, where you can swim in rock pools

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cooking classes
• Cycling
• Hiking
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Wine tasting

Kids

The hotel is child-friendly and set on a gorgeous beach with two pools and a kids club. Note that there’s quite a strong undertow in the sea. Children under 12 sleep for free in existing beds. There is a 50% reduction on meal prices for kids aged 6 to 11, and under 6s eat for free. All equipment (tennis racquets, bicycles, snorkelling masks) is available in children's sizes.

Best for:

Toddlers (1-4 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

8 rooms interconnect: Garden View Rooms with Deluxe Sea View Rooms, sleeping up to 6 and 2 more in extra beds. You also get a bath tub and rain shower and outdoor space. The swish Ana Mandara Suite has a private walled garden and also has lots of space to play outdoors.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 40 minutes
• Shop: on site

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Evason Ana Mandara is situated in Nha Trang on the east coast of Vietnam. It's 450km from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).

By Air:
Cam Ranh Airport (Nha Trang) (45km away) is the closest. It's served by domestic airlines from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang (from other cities you will have to go via the above three). If you're coming from Europe, you'll probably fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. From these airports you can either transfer onto an internal flight or travel overland to Nha Trang if you're planning a longer trip. Click on the links below for a list of airlines.

From the Airport:
The hotel offers transfers (see Rates for details) or you can grab a taxi. The journey takes about 40 minutes by car.

Getting Around:
The hotel can arrange taxis and has a fleet of cyclos for ferrying guests about the locale.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Vietnam and getting around